Brand Dhoni rides high on World Cup win

New Delhi: Lifting the ICC World Cup trophy has lifted MS Dhoni's brand value too. He is now expected to get almost double his current rates post the win.

The ad campaign for a LED television set featuring Dhoni has cost Sony Rs 100 crore. But Sony says it was worth the while. The company has sold more than 2,40,000 sets in the last three months, a jump of over 40 per cent.

With Sony getting it right on its bet, it plans to pump in mega bucks to leverage on India's latest brand sensation - Mahender Singh Dhoni.

"The momentum what we created...what Sony and Dhoni have created...will carry through the forth coming IPL. These two month we will continue to have similar campaigns with Dhoni," said Sony Sr GM (Sales) Sunil Nayyar.

Leading the world-champion team has changed the game for the captain cool. Industry sources say now he may take home as much as Rs 10 to Rs 12 crore for one brand. Dhoni now charges about Rs 6 crore to endorse a brand.

"In terms of pricing, it will be completely unjustified...from a million dollar package he could be a 5 million dollar package. Dhoni just changed the game and he is just not another brand available to be endorsed...he is iconic athlete that India has never seen before," Percept Joint MD Shailendra Singh.

Dhoni is already a hot favourite for youth oriented products. But post World Cup win, new brands from soaps and home care products to even cosmetics are rushing to get him endorse their brands. Film stars might still be the most sought after by brands, but Dhoni will be an exception in the pecking order.